You'd think it's just about knitting and travel, but it's really about life, love, faith...and food

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Zoom Loom Shelby Sheep Kit from The Woolery - Day 1

It's not kid stuff...

Let’s get this out of the way first: If you’re even half my age, you probably had the same reaction I did when you first saw this gadget: It reminds you of that loom we all played with as kids, one that came with colorful jersey loops, that created mostly potholders. It was a toy.

This isn’t a toy. This is a grown up, spiffed up version of that same idea, but it’s definitely intended and built like a crafting tool. You rather have to get your mind out of the “toy” concept at first, but using this won’t feel like you’ve borrowed your niece’s craft kit and gone back to your eight-year-old self, trust me.

The package says “on the go,” but I wouldn’t take this anywhere but to a knitting group or other craft gathering. As a matter of fact, I had a plane travel during this project and didn’t take it with me. Not because of the long needle involved, but because to me it just didn’t feel portable. And while I knew it wasn’t a toy, I couldn’t shake the notion that other people would think of it as such.

Having said all that, I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed using it. It’s a remarkably clever little thing. The manufacturers advise you make one or two out of scrap yarn first, which I heartily recommend. And for extra fun, use a hand-died or other yarn with a long variegation, because watching how the colors interplay is half the fun.

The kit says I have to make nine of these in black. That sounds a bit tedious, but doable. How those nine squares turn into a sheep? You got me. We’re going to have to find out together.